His father, Cornelius Bennett, starred as an outside linebacker for Alabama from 1983-86. He played in the NFL from 1987-2000 including being a star for the Buffalo Bills on their four Super Bowl teams.

“I thought ‘Orange Carpet’ was just a name for the recruiting (event), but there really was an orange carpet you walked down.

“We didn’t know anything about it, but we walk in, and there’s a DJ there going crazy, and then Coach Jones is right there, and the next thing I know I’m doing some interview.”

The interview was with a UT staff member — the event was closed to the media — and games and contests followed throughout the afternoon.

Coleman, now 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds at West Monroe (La.) High School, visited for Tennessee’s “Junior Day” on March 5.

“I wanted to come up again and make sure they still have all that love and passion for me,” Coleman said. “As far as picking Tennessee, you are evaluating what type of back you are and how your style relates to the programs.

“Tennessee likes to put their backs in space, not just a straight hand-off team. So they’ll run screens, some read options and I really like the handoffs out of the shotgun (formation).”

Coleman said he’s more confused than disappointed with his recruiting rating: “Yeah, those ratings must not be updated, because I’m the top back in this state...”

Absolutely. I was talking about what 24/7 stated about some of them. But honestly who knows. They have some of them less than a half a point from 4*. But the 4 and 5's will sign later if history with Jones holds true.

Absolutely. I was talking about what 24/7 stated about some of them. But honestly who knows. They have some of them less than a half a point from 4*. But the 4 and 5's will sign later if history with Jones holds true.

Is he gonna figger out a way to sign about 45 kids in this class like he has the last couple of years?

Three-star senior wide receiver from Hattiesburg (Miss.) High School committed to Tennessee on Thursday night during his visit with the Vols, choosing them over Alabama and scholarship offers from several other major programs, including LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Auburn.

6-foot-1, 168-pound Murphy gave Tennessee its 22nd commitment for the 2017 class, its fourth in the past three days and its third from a projected wide receiver, joining three-star prospects Princeton Fant of La Vergne, Tenn., and Jacquez Jones of Clearwater, Fla.

“I knew I was going to commit today,” said Murphy, who’s ranked the nation’s No. 435 overall prospect and No. 64 wide receiver in the 247Sports Composite for the 2017 class.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team recruit their class this fast before. Player stars aside, what’s the overall deal with Butch’s recruiting tactics of late?

Excellent question and one many Tennessee fans obviously have right now after the Volunteers flurry of five 2017 commits just last week. As of today, UT has 23 verbal commits. But that’s the key, they’re not-binding right now. Recruiting is fluid...

“Over the past few weeks it looked as if I might not be able to continue my football career in college. However, I was lucky enough to be recruited once again by my dream school. I feel extremely blessed to announced that I will be continuing my education and football career at the University of Tennessee!”

Tennessee has 20 prospects currently ranked as 3-stars — tied for the most in the country.

Following summer camps, players move up and down lists. This fall, some will again see their stocks rise after strong senior seasons, while others will drop due to injuries, subpar showings, etc.

As for Tennessee’s commits who could reasonably earn a composite 4th star this fall: Florida athlete CJ Cotman, who is ranked just outside the Top 300 and was once a consensus 4-star prospect, versatile linebacker Jaquan Henderson from Newton High (Ga.), Hattiesburg wideout Jordan Murphy, Louisiana cornerback Cheyenne Labruzza and Hardin County defensive end LaTrell Bumphus.

“We have to find the right fit for the University of Tennessee. … But it all does start in-state. In-state recruiting is very, very important to us. There’s a responsibility that comes along with a young man staying in-state and playing here.”

With that said, Jones knows he must flip a recent trend, as too many in-state blue-chippers are headed elsewhere.

In 2016, Tennessee signed just two of the state’s top 15 prospects. The Vols 2017 class includes just four of the state’s top 20 recruits. While Lane Kiffin recently trolled Tennessee over its in-state struggles, the narrative could be reshaped in 2018.

“When a young man stays at home and represents his home state, his home institution, that’s a lifetime legacy,” Jones said.

“That’s something that you’re going to want to come live in this state and be remembered forever. To me, that’s what it’s all about.”

Cade Mays has been going to Tennessee games since he was a little boy.

Now a 6-foot-5, 310-pound Volunteers commit, the 5-star UT legacy and Knoxville Catholic star can’t recall Neyland Stadium ever rocking as hard as it did Saturday during Tennessee’s thrilling comeback win over Florida.

“That was definitely the best environment I’ve ever seen in Neyland Stadium,” Mays told me.

Mays, who committed to Tennessee over a year ago, is the No. 11 prospect in the Class of 2018, so the 5-star offensive tackle has assumed the role of headline recruiter for the Volunteers.

Mays has relished in the responsibility, too, fulfilling a family legacy set by his father and uncle. Kevin Mays, Cade’s dad, was Tennessee’s team captain in 1994, earning All-SEC honors as an offensive lineman. His uncle played for the Vols, too.

This summer, Mays’ first target was 4-star Coffee County athlete Alontae Taylor.

Both Mays and Taylor have identified a ballyhooed bunch of targets, with prospects spanning the ’17, ’18 and ’19 classes.

During the Florida game, Taylor sat with nearly a dozen Tennessee 2017 commits, and the group made sure the surrounding top targets took notice.

“We were out there recruiting,” Taylor said.

“There were times when we made a big play and we — I was sitting with all the 2017 commits in a big group — and we just turned around and looked at Deangelo Gibbs and threw our hands up like, ‘What’s up? What are you going to do.’ We pointed at Trey Smith and were like, ‘What’s up? It’s the place to be. Why not Tennessee?’”

Smith, an offensive tackle from University School, remains Tennessee’s most important remaining target in the 2017 class.

Under Jones, Tennessee has won some recruiting battles over the in-state Bulldogs — most notably 4-star safety Nigel Warrior, 4-star receiver Preston Williams and 4-star safety Micah Abernathy. But the Volunteers have also benefited from poaching some prospects UGA didn’t really recruit — guys like Sutton and McDowell.

Peach State has become such a hot-bed for blue-chip recruits, Georgia simply can’t keep’em all, so programs like Tennessee are swooping in and grabbing more than just the leftovers.

2018 prospect committed to the Volunteers after their 49-10 loss to the top-ranked Crimson Tide, completing a dream he’s had for several years.

Tennessee was the second program to offer Richardson, who also attended a Vols satellite camp at his high school in Buford over the summer. The 6-foot, 185-pound junior quickly developed a close relationship with secondary coach Willie Martinez, and the safety couldn’t wait to deliver the news to Martinez on Saturday evening.

“After the game, all the coaches were talking to all the recruits, so I pulled coach Martinez aside real quick and said, ‘You know, I’ve thought about it long and hard, I want to be a Vol,’” Richardson recounted.

“He just told me, ‘Once you make this decision you have to be 100 percent in.’ And I told him, ‘Coach, I’m all in. 100 percent.’”

Once Richardson gave Butch Jones the good news, he said the locker room was suddenly “happy” and there were “all smiles and cheers.”

Buckhorn 2017, four-star middle linebacker tweeted tonight that he has committed to Tennessee.

Ignont (6-foot-2, 238 pounds) gave a silent pledge to Alabama in spring, then decommitted in June. He said in August that his top three were Auburn, LSU and UCLA, but Tennessee made a late push and Ignont visited Oct. 15.

Ignont transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton (Fla.) in January, only to return to New Market and re-join Buckhorn four months later.

Ignont is rated the No. 9 inside linebacker in the country by the 247Sports Composite and is the No. 7 player on AL.com's A-List...

5-foot-11, 188-pounder from Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, Ga., visited the Vols’ campus Saturday and committed just five days after receiving a scholarship offer.

A former Louisiana-Lafayette commit, Shamburger reopened his recruitment in July. He selected Tennessee over Ole Miss and Auburn. He becomes Tennessee’s 27th commitment for the class of 2017, an he’s the third cornerback to commit to the Vols’ class.

Albany athlete Cheyenne Labruzza decided to shut down his recruitment, and remain with the Tennessee Volunteers' recruiting class, cancelling all of his official visits, including the trip to LSU scheduled to begin January 13.

Labruzza committed to Tennessee following an unofficial visit during its spring game, and stayed firm in his verbal pledge, despite engaging with LSU and Oklahoma State in recent months. Labruzza has been a major target for the Tigers, who liked him as a versatile defensive back who could play cornerback or safety.

Quote

I am fully committed to the University of Tennessee !! [?] #GoVols -- Cheyenne Labruzza (@bruzzaaa) January 10, 2017